Art and Education|Educational material

Analyzing Portinari’s Works in the Classroom

Among over 5,000 works made by Candido Portinari that are available on this portal, four were selected for these “Teaching Suggestions." They have 3 different themes: still life, landscape and the human figure, and they were made in the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s. This content was designed for teachers who work with early elementary students.

THEME: STILL LIFE

Composition in tones earthy, gray, orange, green, yellow, red, black and white. Smooth texture with marked brushstrokes. It is part of round table with jug, bottle, fruit and a screen leaning against the wall where you see small picture hanging. The type table with lowered gate tab is reddish brown with a on the left end covered with white towel ending with two red stripes. On the towel, a black bottle, bulging white pitcher narrow neck and three fruits: tangerine, orange and lemon. On the table top, on the right, a lemon and part of a red screen against the wall. Gray Background seeing themselves at the top, on the right, hanging small screen, representing man portrait.
Still Life 1930

Notes:

1. The name "still life" is given to paintings or drawings of a group of inanimate objects, such as fruits, animal flesh (like that used in cooking: fish, poultry, shellfish), domestic objects (vases, teapots, plates, cups, etc.).

2. Ask students to name the different objects Portinari used in a "still life." Then ask them what materials were used to make the objects (wood for tables; glass for bottles; fabric for towels). Note with the students that the artist is able to communicate to the viewer exactly which material the objects were made from using only his brushes and paint. How can he convey this to the people who see it?

3. The artist uses different "planes" to show that the objects are not all in a row, in one straight line. What is in the "first plane" (foreground)? And in the “back plane” (background)?

Suggestions:

1. Using objects found in the classroom, ask students to set up a still life and then depict it using the materials available (paints, paper, canvas, etc.)

2. Make a color chart with the students, classifying colors as "warm" or "cool." Talk with them about how color can be a descriptive element in a painting, how colors can symbolize emotions or show relationships between different objects in a painting.

THEME: LANDSCAPE

Composition in red tones, earthy, ochre, gray, green, black, white, blue, yellow and orange. Smooth, broad strokes. Animal Representation in forest with red ground, undergrowth and trees. In the foreground, on the left of center, deer profile body to the right and head 3/4 on the left. To the right of center, most deer and lighter shades of ochre, Profile body to the left to head almost profile. Close to deer and among these, blue bird with red beak, flying and small gray rodent. To the left, two rabbits profile to the right, separated by clump of vegetation, and kill the dog near the tree trunk, where he is lodging a macaw. Also in the foreground, center, plant with pointed leaves, from whose center rises a banner, which is resting, blue butterfly. To the right, two lizards and undergrowth. In the background, detail of tree trunks perfectly aligned and viewed in perspective towards the bottom of the composition. In the center, toucan perched on tree leaf. To the left and on the right of center, deer and dogs running to the left. On the right, Profile anteater on the left and flying bird. In the background, detail of tree trunks seen in perspective with a few animals running through them. Composition characterized in details the minutiae and treatment of animals, whose hair and feathers are represented with accuracy exhaustive.
Forest 1938

Notes:

1. Ask students to name all the animals in this landscape. Note with them the different colors and ways the artist differentiates between animals with fur and those with feathers.

2. Note with the students the colors the artist used to depict the trees and undergrowth. Ask them to describe the different tones of green, ochre, brown, red, using different adjectives.

3. Ask students about the relationship between the title and the work.

Suggestions:

1. "Living Painting"- Ask students to pose like the animals and plants in the painting, using their body expression and creativity to make a living example of the artist’s work.

2. New versions of the painting – Using the materials available in the classroom (paint, paper, clippings, canvas, etc.), ask the students to depict new “Forests,” using some of the same plants and animals and adding new things to their creations.

3. Dramatizing the painting – What could the animals be saying to each other? Divide the class into small groups and ask them to first write and then act out for the others "impossible dialogues."

THEME: HUMAN FIGURE

Composition in gray, earthy, blue, rose and black tones. Smooth texture in the background, thick on the figure. Composition representing black girl sitting on the floor in earthy tones, occupying almost the entire area of ​​the composition, against blue sky. The girl faces forward, has short, black and curly hair with a strain over her forhead, hair tied with a large rose ribbon bow with black polka dots. She has a rounded face, suggested facial features, thin neck. Arm slightly bent on the right, hand on her lap, and left arm along the body with hand on knee. Bent legs with knees apart and bare feet, close together. She wears a rose dress with black polka dot, square neckline and Japanese sleeves. Ground on earthy-gray tones. Darker blue sky near the top edge of the composition, clearing down.
Sitting Girl 1943

Notes:

1. Note with students the background and the figure in the work. Does the background suggest that the artist wanted to show a day or night time scene? What does the girl figure suggest in the work? What feeling does the girl's expression communicate?

2. Ask students to describe the shades of blue the artist used for the sky. Are there colors besides blue in the sky?

3. Note the position of the signature in the painting. When was it painted? Why does the artist sign his painting?

Suggestions:

1. Divide the class into pairs. Explain that they will play "painter and model." Ask them to choose which character they want to play and ask the ones who are models to take a pose and those who are painters to get their materials, study their models carefully and start making their own drawing or painting. Set a time for the activity and when time is up, ask the "painters" to come to the front of the class and show their work. Encourage the students to describe and comment on the works in general.

2. Show the painting, then ask students to observe the figure of the girl and write one or two sentences about what they saw. Set a time to complete the activity and then have them read out loud what they wrote.

3. Divide the class into groups. Ask each group to write on a piece of paper as many adjectives as they can to describe the girl. Call one student from each group to the front to read the adjectives they found.

THEME: HUMAN FIGURE

Composition in gray, black, blue, earthy, rose and yellow. Smooth texture. Set of five musicians playing various instruments. In the foreground, on the left, full-length musician playing tuba, sitting forward with her legs open. On the right black musician, standing, playing clarinet. In the background, on the left, musician figure sitting in profile to the left, with his legs crossed, touching suggesting be a trumpet or a horn. On the third level, two figures half-length playing instruments that appear clarinet or flute. Background treatment with geometric shaped area plans which affect the figures, creating transparency effects and geometrizando whole composition.
Music Band 1956

Notes:

1. How many characters are there in the painting? What does the scene suggest? What instruments are they playing?

2. Note with the students what colors were used. Which colors are warm and which are cool? Does the painting have mostly warm colors or cool ones? Do the colors suggest transparency over the figures?

3. Note with the students the contrast between the musicians’ faces and the geometrical figures the artist used. How many geometrical figures can they identify? What are they?

Suggestions:

1. "Living Painting" – ask students to pose as each of the characters in the painting, playing an instrument and then making the sound of the instrument they are "playing."

2. Ask students to choose a color and the shades of this same color from their box of colored pencils. With the shades they chose, ask them to create drawings based on geometrical figures. Comment with the students about the results of the works they made.

3. Divide the class into groups and ask each group to write on a piece of paper as many musical instruments as they can think of. Set a time for completing the activity and then ask each group to read the instruments they wrote down.

 
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